Published 3:10 pm, Thursday, January 3, 2013

Photo: JAMES DURBIN

Image 1of/1

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 1

A petition to allow MISD employees and qualified citizens to possess handguns on MISD property, as seen at Between The Walls Guns & Accessories on Big Spring Street in Midland. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram

A petition to allow MISD employees and qualified citizens to possess handguns on MISD property, as seen at Between The Walls Guns & Accessories on Big Spring Street in Midland. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram

A petition that calls for allowing teachers and staff members in the Midland Independent School District to carry concealed handguns on school property is available at three local gun shops.

"We need to give our teachers and school administrators the ability to provide real protection to our children and themselves," said Odessa resident Derek New, who created the petition and distributed it to Bear Claw Knife & Shear, TMP Hunting & Trailers and Between the Walls Guns in Midland and five sites in Odessa.

Having thought about the need for teachers and school administrators to carry guns for quite some time, New said the Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., inspired him to create the petition.

"This has been a passion of mine for years. I think the only way we're going to stop stuff like this from happening is by allowing teachers to carry guns," said New, who teaches concealed handgun classes in the Permian Basin. "I don't see any other viable solution."

Though he lives in Odessa, New has children that attend school in both districts and said he feels both cities should consider allowing their teachers to carry guns.

"People talk about wanting to put extra armed security in our schools, and while I'm not against that, our country is $16 trillion in debt, so I'm curious how we're going to pay for that," New said.

"The facts are out there plain as day to anyone willing to open their eyes and look at it," New said. "These shootings only occur in so-called gun-free zones, where the only ones that have guns are the ones committing these heinous crimes. A gun in the hands of a good guy are the only things that will stop that madman."

New began circulating the petitions on Dec. 26, and he said the response so far has been positive. With many gun stores closed recently for inventory and the holidays, New said it's taken until this week to finish getting the petitions distributed, but he believes they will draw additional signatures in the coming weeks.

When a large number of signatures have been secured, New said he will present the petition to the Midland County school board for consideration. He has a similar petition for Ector County ISD in Odessa.

"I'm not asking that there be a requirement for a teacher to carry a gun, as requiring anyone to carry a gun all the time would be a mistake," New said. "What I'm asking for is to give those teachers who want the option to have the option."

Texas law bans guns in schools unless the school district has given written authorization. Harrold ISD, located 35 miles northwest of Wichita Falls near the Oklahoma border, is the only district that currently allows teachers to carry concealed handguns, according to the Associated Press. The one-school district is located more than 30 minutes away from the nearest law-enforcement department.

If teachers were allowed to carry, New said it would be crucial that the guns were concealed and carried on the person.

"It doesn't take a genius to figure out that if a teacher walks away and has a gun in their desk drawer, a student could get a hold of it," New said. "I understand that risk and am adamant that it be carried on the person, not in a purse or a desk drawer."

Additionally, teachers should be required to wear clothing that fully conceals their weapon.

"If they don't want to dress accordingly, then they shouldn't be allowed to carry it because the whole point is that it's concealed and the student doesn't know it's there," New said.

We the people, lawful residents of Midland County, Texas categorically reject any pretense that banning all firearms from MISD premises prevents criminal acts committed against children, teachers and employees of MISD.

We believe that gun control laws serve to unduly restrict law-abiding citizens' God-given right to defend themselves from violent criminals.

We believe that as in the case of Pearl, Mississippi shooting Oct. 1, 1997, deadly and life-threatening acts of violence can be stopped when a legally armed employee or citizen has access to a firearm.

We believe that since mass shootings most often occur in gun-free zones where people are unarmed targets, current policy for gun-free schools leaves our children and teachers unprotected from violent criminals.

By signing this document, we hereby petition MISD to amend its policies to allow MISD employees and citizens who are otherwise legally qualified to possess and carry handguns, to carry concealed handguns on all MISD premises.